Newsletter - Fall 2008

FUEL CHARGES NECESSARY

Every day brings reports on the rising cost of oil and the cost of gasoline at the pump. Just as these rising costs affect your family, they also seriously impact DAB’s ability to provide transportation for its activities. We feel that door-to-door transportation is essential to our programs; however, just in the past year, the cost of running our vans has nearly doubled. In order to maintain our calendar of activities, we find it necessary to add a per person fuel charge to each trip to help with the cost of running the vans. DAB is also seeking grant assistance to help with this growing problem. If we find financial assistance to help with these van costs or if the price of gasoline goes down significantly, these fuel charges can be reduced or eliminated.

The transportation charge of $2 to $3 will be included in the ticket or admission price.

FAll ACTIVITIES

To sign up for any of the following activities, call as follows:

We will begin taking reservations on Wednesday, August 6. Activities are on a first come first served basis, so call as soon as possible to avoid missing out on an activity you are interested in. Door-to-door transportation is available.

When calling Activities Coordinator Judy Engelgau, please leave a complete message on the answering machine. New Castle County residents who need to speak with Judy can call her toll free at 1-888-757-0880; however, if you live in New Castle County, you should not call Judy to sign up for activities.

When you sign up for an activity where prepayment is required, please remember to send your payment by the due date listed at the end of the activity. If your payment has not been received by this date, we will give your spot on the list to a person on the waiting list. If you are on the waiting list, you will be called to let you know when to send your payment.

DAB’s cancellation policy and Theatre Etiquette Policy can be accessed by following the links at the end of this newsletter. If you are not familiar with these policies, please read them carefully. If you have questions, call the office at 655-2111 or toll free from Kent and Sussex Counties at 1-888-777-3925. We will be happy to answer your questions.

Saturday, September 6: DUTCH APPLE DINNER THEATRE in Lancaster, PA, presents “The Sound of Music”. Maria, the young nun who is always getting into trouble, is sent to be a governess for the seven rowdy children of Captain Von Trapp. As she teaches the children to sing and play, she brings love back into the hearts and home of the Von Trapp family including the Captain. This timeless family classic includes the songs “My Favorite Things”, “Do-Re-Mi”, “Edelweiss”, and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.” 11:45 a.m. buffet, 1:15 p.m. matinee. $43 per person due August 1.

Saturday, September 13: Return to SMITH ISLAND! 45-minute boat ride leaving from Crisfield, MD, at 12:30 p.m. Boat has top deck, inside covered area, and outside seating. Family style lunch on Smith Island at the Bayside Inn includes their famous crab balls, clam fritters, ham, creamed corn, and many other delicious dishes. Total of two and a half hours on the island. There are two gift shops—one in the restaurant and one behind. Visit the island museum, dedicated to the culture and history of Smith Island, featuring a twenty minute introductory video, giving an overview of the island and how its people live. Boat arrives back in Crisfield at 4:30 p.m. Total for the trip $42.50 includes gratuity, due September 1. Bring snacks to eat in the van, as this is a long trip.

Saturday, September 20: AMISH VILLAGE in Strasburg, PA. 1 p.m. guided tour of the Amish home, giving the history and culture of the Amish. Outside self-guided tour of the Amish Village: blacksmith shop, one room schoolhouse, smokehouse, village store, and farm animals. 3 p.m. early dinner at GOOD ‘N PLENTY, all-you-can-eat family style restaurant, featuring Lancaster county food. Gift shop and bake shop on the premises. Total $26.25 due September 10. Bring lunch to eat in the van.

Friday, September 26: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES baseball game at Citizens Bank Park versus the Washington Nationals. Left field lower level seats in rows 18 and 19. $22 due August 15.

Saturday, October 4: THE SALISBURY ZOO, located in Salisbury, MD, was officially born in 1954. The zoo now provides naturalistic enclosures for species native to North, Central, and South America. The park-like setting encourages an appreciation of wildlife and inspires conservation of our natural world. Included in the wildlife are alligators, bobcats, jaguars, bison, bears, otters, cranes, herons, owls, bald eagles, monkeys, sloths, macaws, llama, white tail deer, the newly acquired red wolves, and many more. $5 per person for 12:30 p.m. one and a half hour guided tour. Bring lunch to eat in the van. Dinner on the way home at Suicide Bridge Restaurant in Hurlock, MD.

Saturday, October 11: ABBOTTS MILL NATURE CENTER near Milford, DE, is operated by the Delaware Nature Society, and offers hiking trails along a 23-acre pond and stream. It also features a beautiful historic grist mill that is the center’s namesake. Our visit from 1-3 p.m. focuses on the Birding by Ear Program, where the guides teach common bird calls and discuss bird migration. Two guides will then take us for a hike to use the bird calls we just learned! $7 per person. Bring lunch. If weather permits, we will eat in the picnic area at Abbotts Mill at 12:30 p.m. Early dinner at The Georgia House in downtown Milford.

Saturday, October 18: Lunch cruise aboard The SPIRIT OF PHILADELPHIA at Penn’s Landing, 12-2 p.m. Full hot buffet and salad bar, choice of desserts, coffee and tea. Narrated skyline tour. Seats close to the entertainment, live floor show, DJ and dance floor. $46.50 includes gratuity and is due September 12.

Saturday, October 25: TOUR OF THE NEW WASHINGTON NATIONALS BALLPARK in Washington, DC. One hour and a half guided tour with two tour guides encompasses about a mile of walking. We will go around the Concourse into the Diamond Club, the Terrace, Luxury Suites, Stars and Stripes Club, Press Box, President’s Club as we discuss the history of baseball in Washington. Sit in the dugout, walk around the Warning Track, and throw out a pitch in the Bullpen! 1 p.m. tour $15 per person, due October 10. Dinner on the way home at The Fisherman’s Inn. Bring lunch to eat in the van.

Sunday, November 2: (NCC) MCCARTER THEATRE at Princeton University presents “Talley’s Folly” by Lanford Wilson. A poignant valentine to unlikely love, this charming romantic comedy is a waltz, a duet, an uneasy love story. On a moonlit night in 1944 Missouri, Jewish accountant Max Freidman knows he has only one chance to win Sally Talley’s heart. As they tiptoe toward love, the fragile pair must first confront her family’s bigotry and their own tightly kept secrets. A Pulitzer Prize winner, this beautifully written tale proves how difficult and terrifying relationships can be, while celebrating the transformative power of love. 12:30 Sensory Seminar, 2 p.m. show with audio description. Seats in the first three rows of the theatre, $13. Bring lunch to eat in the van. Dinner on the way home at the Princetonian Diner.

Saturday, November 8: WILMINGTON DRAMA LEAGUE presents “Proof”, by David Auburn. On the eve of her father’s funeral and her own 25th birthday, Claire tries to determine whether she has inherited her father’s brilliance or his madness, or even both—when authorship of an astonishing mathematical proof is called into question. “Proof”, winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play, is a searing, heartfelt, and funny drama about the mysteries of mathematics, family, and the human heart and mind. Sensory Seminar 7:30 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Seats in the first few rows of the theatre, $10. Dinner before the show at The Golden Dove Restaurant.

Saturday, November 15: DUTCH APPLE DINNER THEATRE in Lancaster, PA, presents the Broadway version of “A Christmas Carol”. You’ll be magically transported to Victorian London, 1843. Dickens reminds us that, even for a crusty curmudgeon like Ebenezer Scrooge, it’s never too late to change. And with the help of three ghosts–Past, Present, and Yet-to-Be–and the enduring love of Tiny Tim, Scrooge learns to spread love and good will and cherish what Christmas is all about. With music by composer Alan Menken, the musical is a delight for all ages. 11:45 buffet, 1:15 p.m. show. $45 due October 7.

Saturday, November 22: The brand new facility for THE NEWSEUM, just opened in April of this year, adjacent to the Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall. The 250,000 square foot museum offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. Seven levels of galleries, exhibits, and theaters offer a unique environment that takes museum goers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made. 12:30 to 3 p.m. Orientation film at 12:30 p.m. in the Orientation Theater, where the award-winning film, “What’s News?” explores the boundaries of journalism and the public’s need to know. Two tour guides give a one hour Highlights Tour of the museum, followed by a 2 p.m. film in the Sports Theatre. “Press Box: The History of Sports Reporting” is a 25 minute documentary presenting some of the greatest moments in sports history. You will have 30 minutes to explore on your own. $20 (half price fee for us!) due November 1. Leave 3 p.m. Dinner on the way home at The Fisherman’s Inn. Menus in Braille and large print. Bring lunch to eat in the van.

BINGO: Bingo at Landis Lodge will resume Thursday, September 11. Anyone able to use large print or braille bingo cards is welcome to attend. We play on the second Thursday of the month from 7 to 9:15 p.m. There is no charge, and some transportation in New Castle County is available. Call 655-2111 to let us know you wish to attend.

Arts & Crafts: The New Castle County craft class will resume on Tuesday, September 9 for Group A and on September 23 for Group B. Classes are from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the second or fourth Tuesday of the month depending on your group. There is no charge, and transportation is available. Call 655-2111 to let us know you wish to attend.

The Kent and Sussex County arts & crafts class will resume on the 2nd Tuesday of each month beginning on Tuesday, September 9. The class will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Luther Towers, 430 Kings Highway in Dover. This activity is free and some transportation will be available. Please call the DAB Office at 1-888-777-3925 if you wish to participate in this activity.

MUSIC APPRECIATION CLASS (NCC): DAB will again offer a class in music appreciation in New Castle County if there is sufficient interest. The class meets at Landis Lodge on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Please call our office at 655-2111 if you are interested in participating in this activity.

The DAB Newsletter is also available in braille and on cassette tape. Call our office at 655-2111 or toll free from Kent and Sussex Counties at 1-888-777-3925 if you would like this newsletter in either of these formats.

DAB Cancellation Policy

DAB Theater Etiquette